This UNI-G detachable runs in a new alignment, providing an alternate route from base to summit in conjuction with the Juniper Express.Lift overview.Loading area on the first day of public operations.View riding out of the base.A tower with combination assemblies on both sides.View back down the steep lower lift line.A support tower.European style tower.Canadian style tower head.A hold down tower.Middle section of the lift line.Upper lift line.A tower near the final pitch.Breakover towers.View back down the line.Towers 18 and 19.The top station sandwiched between Top of the World and Summit.Unloading area and turnaround.Upper station with drive.The final two towers.Side view of the top station.View down the line.Side view of a closed bubble carrier.View down at tower 16.Chairs passing over a ravine.Front and back of bubble chairs with heated seats.View up the line.Looking down the middle part of the line.Lift line with views of the Canadian Rockies.An empty chair rising over the valley.Side view of the bottom tension station.Steep lower part of the line.Chair parking facility.All new bottom station location.Six place chair with heated seats.
28 thoughts on “Pipestone Express – Lake Louise, AB”
Donald ReifDecember 16, 2024 / 8:40 pm
While the lift is designed to be used in tandem with Juniper as an alternate base to summit route to taking Glacier and Top of the World, it is also accessible from Glacier by skiing down the Juniper trail.
I’ve noticed this as well, it seems to have stem from the Doppelmayr-CTEC days, and only seems to be used on 6 packs. Big red(2022), Lynx Express(2024)
The concrete masts are a variation on an engineering theme, as far as I’m aware. They’re not just for big heavy lifts (our new bottom terminal for A-lift has one, and it’s a lightweight double).
Cool you photographed this and Super Angel so early. I do just have to wonder why this lift only has a capacity of 2000pph, especially when the quad bellow it has 2400. Is it the cost of the extra heated bubble chairs, a desire to prevent overcrowding or something else?
I think it’s overcrowding, with Pipestone (2000 pph) and Top of the World (2500 pph), thats 4500 pph unloading on that narrow ridge, that makes 75 people per minute, plus the people at the base of Summit, that makes dangerously crowded conditions.
You’ve got three lifts feeding skier traffic into the ridge. Besides Pipestone and Top of the World bringing people up from the base, you also have Paradise on the back side of the mountain.
Was very impressed with this lift when i rode it this past weekend, Juniper and Pipestone are in my opinion the best way to get up the mountian from the base. Pipestone ends in a better spot than the Grizzly express, and 60 percent of the ride up is in a heated bubble chair. The lines on Juniper seem to be shorter than Glacier and Grizzly as well.
Grizzly is still unique in that it’s the only base lift that can reach the back side without having to pass through the upper mountain. Juniper is also a bit more hidden and had a reputation for being a beginner lift to nowhere for 3 years, which might explain the line difference. Lake Louise has not done as much advertising as Sunshine and for many people who aren’t aware of the changes, Glacier is still the main chairlift. But due to all you mentioned above, Juniper is a better alternative as there is more comfort to the ride up, unless you want to get to bowls or Larch, then you use the gondi.
It’s also worth noting that since the pictures were taken, the name was printed on the terminal, I think it’s the only lift at Louise that has the bottom station elevation there.
Oh, and also, I think that the chair parking facility is not yet ready as the chairs are left out during the night, It should be done by summer though.
I rode this for the first time yesterday, and I was impressed with the bubbles, but the ride was quite bumpy, (expected since its no d-line), but the seat heating was not really working. I talked to a patroller in the gondola, and he said that a lot of people said the same, and the mechanics were going to try fixing the heat a bit.
@PBROPETECH, I was wondering if there was a setting or control to regulate the seat temp, or if it was an adjustment to the batteries, cables, or charging rails that was needed?
Unless they’ve drastically changed the design, the seats are only heated when the carrier is in the terminal. There’s no batteries or charging, just rails in the terminals that provide power to heat while in the terminal. And yes, there’s settings for the amount of heat, and it can also be limited by the outside temperature (if it’s too warm outside, it’ll automatically turn off the heated seats).
It seems that Lake Louise uses the parking barn for the off-season, as is a common trend I have seen with bubble lifts. Sunshine still seems to leave their new bubbles out.
Lift Blog 
While the lift is designed to be used in tandem with Juniper as an alternate base to summit route to taking Glacier and Top of the World, it is also accessible from Glacier by skiing down the Juniper trail.
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Or Men’s downhill from Top of the World
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Game changer, this lift is so awesome, good thing they invested in a parking barn, surprised that they have a top drive here.
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Any reason behind the concrete main support bases for the terminals? Stronger?
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They are standard on all Doppelmayr detachables, not just this one.
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Not on all. At least these two (and many more) seem to use a steel support:
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Then it may be for weight resistance, heavy bubble chairs.
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I’ve noticed this as well, it seems to have stem from the Doppelmayr-CTEC days, and only seems to be used on 6 packs. Big red(2022), Lynx Express(2024)
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I think its for weight resistance, the orange bubble express also has a concrete support mast to support the weight of the bubble chairs.
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I don’t think it’s about weight resistance, since early generation UNI-Gs almost all use concrete masts.
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The concrete masts are a variation on an engineering theme, as far as I’m aware. They’re not just for big heavy lifts (our new bottom terminal for A-lift has one, and it’s a lightweight double).
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Olympic ended where tower 13 is. You can even still see the old lift shack standing there.
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Cool you photographed this and Super Angel so early. I do just have to wonder why this lift only has a capacity of 2000pph, especially when the quad bellow it has 2400. Is it the cost of the extra heated bubble chairs, a desire to prevent overcrowding or something else?
LikeLike
I think it’s overcrowding, with Pipestone (2000 pph) and Top of the World (2500 pph), thats 4500 pph unloading on that narrow ridge, that makes 75 people per minute, plus the people at the base of Summit, that makes dangerously crowded conditions.
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You’ve got three lifts feeding skier traffic into the ridge. Besides Pipestone and Top of the World bringing people up from the base, you also have Paradise on the back side of the mountain.
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Yeah, I forgot Paradise, that’s another 1700 pph !
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Was very impressed with this lift when i rode it this past weekend, Juniper and Pipestone are in my opinion the best way to get up the mountian from the base. Pipestone ends in a better spot than the Grizzly express, and 60 percent of the ride up is in a heated bubble chair. The lines on Juniper seem to be shorter than Glacier and Grizzly as well.
LikeLike
Grizzly is still unique in that it’s the only base lift that can reach the back side without having to pass through the upper mountain. Juniper is also a bit more hidden and had a reputation for being a beginner lift to nowhere for 3 years, which might explain the line difference. Lake Louise has not done as much advertising as Sunshine and for many people who aren’t aware of the changes, Glacier is still the main chairlift. But due to all you mentioned above, Juniper is a better alternative as there is more comfort to the ride up, unless you want to get to bowls or Larch, then you use the gondi.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s also worth noting that since the pictures were taken, the name was printed on the terminal, I think it’s the only lift at Louise that has the bottom station elevation there.
LikeLike
Oh, and also, I think that the chair parking facility is not yet ready as the chairs are left out during the night, It should be done by summer though.
LikeLike
I rode this for the first time yesterday, and I was impressed with the bubbles, but the ride was quite bumpy, (expected since its no d-line), but the seat heating was not really working. I talked to a patroller in the gondola, and he said that a lot of people said the same, and the mechanics were going to try fixing the heat a bit.
@PBROPETECH, I was wondering if there was a setting or control to regulate the seat temp, or if it was an adjustment to the batteries, cables, or charging rails that was needed?
LikeLike
Unless they’ve drastically changed the design, the seats are only heated when the carrier is in the terminal. There’s no batteries or charging, just rails in the terminals that provide power to heat while in the terminal. And yes, there’s settings for the amount of heat, and it can also be limited by the outside temperature (if it’s too warm outside, it’ll automatically turn off the heated seats).
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Thank You for your insight. I guess it just needs to be put on higher heat mode. Temperature was not an issue as it was -20 c when I was there.
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The current name for this lift is better than the name Upper Juniper.
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Real. We will see what Richardson ends up being named. I would like to see Skoki Express…
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It seems that Lake Louise uses the parking barn for the off-season, as is a common trend I have seen with bubble lifts. Sunshine still seems to leave their new bubbles out.
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This lift is beautiful. As someone who prefers D-lines, this lift looks amazing.
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I do enjoy the colour scheme of this lift. I do hope that Richardson will be in green, though.
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